Lower offers based on ethnicity

[Bufftailed]

Was surprised to see Newcastle offer 3 grades lower for certain ethnic groups (state school, but no other socio economic criteria). Is anyone aware of any other unis doing this?

Is that to allow for white working class boys doing so poorly in school these days?

Bristol used to, and didn't for disability.

Is that sarcasm? Sorry I can’t pick it up in a message!

There are a quite a few other criteria which white w/c might fall into.

Can you link to this so that we can understand what you are talking about?

Many universities have a contextual offer for target cohorts. Not unusual at all

Contextual offers aren’t new.

I am talking about purely ethnicity. I know the usual FSM, care experienced etc etc

Can you link the policy you are referring to? 3 whole grades is one of the most generous schemes I've heard of to be fair

https://www.ncl.ac.uk/partners/

@Restlessinthenorth @OffTheMap

They would be eligible for this program if they met any of the following criteria NONE of this is based on ethnicity:
Disadvantaged postcode: They live in an area with low progression to university or significant deprivation.
School background: They attended a school with lower GCSE attainment or A-level performance, or a school where over 50% of pupils receive or are eligible for free school meals.
Free school meals or Pupil Premium: They receive, or are entitled to, qualifying financial support.
Personal circumstances: They have experienced significant educational disruption, family difficulties or other qualifying disadvantage.
Time in care: They have spent any period in care.

Not true at all. You haven’t read the eligibility criteria properly.

I get so so cross when I see misinformation like this - hopefully your DC can get you uni and be better informed - ridiculous post

Cut & pasted:

You are eligible for PARTNERS if you are from an ethnic group that is under-represented at Newcastle University.
The following ethnic groups are eligible under this criteria:

• Asian or Asian British – Indian
• Asian or Asian British – Pakistani
• Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi
• Black or Black British – Caribbean
• Black or Black British – African
• Mixed backgrounds featuring one or more of the above groups

Grow up. It’s a genuine question.

I think you looked at contextual not Partners. Different criteria

But if this genuine question is too much for you. Feel free to leave the thread

@twolattes you've jumped the gun there. Ethnicity is a qualifying element on this particular scheme, having just read the info shared. There are many other categories listed too.

white working class are EXPLICITLY classified as an underrepresented group at this UNI - DO THE RESEARCH

White students can apply. There is no blanket exclusion based on being white.
White students cannot qualify through the ethnicity criterion alone. Newcastle specifically lists certain under-represented ethnic groups for that route.
White working-class students can qualify through other criteria, including a disadvantaged postcode, attending an eligible school, receiving free school meals or Pupil Premium, having experienced time in care, or qualifying personal circumstances.
The university also explicitly identifies white working-class male students as an under-represented group in its wider access and participation

Newcastle are doing a massive amount about widening participation - and yes, certain under representation ethnic groups can get an offer upto 3 grades lower.

Likewise, we get a guarenteed offer, and upto 2 grades lower - purely for living within about 60 mins drive of Newcastle - and there are some nice areas in that radius.

My understanding is all they are trying to do is make the demographics of the uni reflect the demographics of the country.

Ethnicity is one of the widening access criteria for the PARTNERS scheme - along with the usual postcode, FSM, care experienced, estranged, refugee, young carer etc requirements.

You only need to meet one of the criteria to be eligible.

Thank you

This is a genuine question

If the thread makes people kick off I’ll ask MN to take it down. Good lord.

So it's because they attract fewer Black and Asian students than they should given their local population and other statistics related to their intake?

Seems to be. My question is if other unis do similar. But now I am getting a torrent of abuse 🤣🤣

There is an eligibility criteria around ethnicity:

“You are eligible for PARTNERS if you are from an ethnic group that is under-represented at Newcastle University.
The following ethnic groups are eligible under this criteria:

• Asian or Asian British – Indian
• Asian or Asian British – Pakistani
• Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi
• Black or Black British – Caribbean
• Black or Black British – African
• Mixed backgrounds featuring one or more of the above groups”

There’s a category for Travellers and Roma too.

Seems a bit mad: the Dc of all those high achieving Indian - heritage doctors and accountants getting in on 3 Cs. Under-represented? DC’s Indian heritage friends are at Oxford and Imperial. Dc would be eligible, mixed race, but graduated from a Uni higher up all league tables than Newcastle (Nothing wrong with Newcastle though - great Uni)

The impetus towards access for bright young people whose circumstances have been a barrier is great, but this seems misguided.

There are huge average attainment differences between ‘brown’ people.

They should look at ‘no one in your family has accessed higher education’

These are the criteria: https://www.ncl.ac.uk/partners/how-to-apply/eligibility/?_gl=11r2crml_upMQ.._gaMTE5MTM4NjA0MS4xNzkzMTAyNTM1_ga_VH2F6S16XP*czE3OTMxMDI1MzQkbzEkZzAkdDE3OTMxMDI1MzQkajYwJGwwJGgxMTczNDE0NTM.

Ethnicity is one of many criteria that can be used to apply. (Third point from above.)